"Hmm."Luis took a sip of his mango milk.
"Mom told me I should go easy on them."
He paused.
"So I did."
Everyone stared at him.
Sophia nearly choked.
"You went easy?" she repeated
Her expression darkened.
"This is a family matter. Dragging outsiders into it—are you serious?"
Luis looked at her calmly.
Then he pointed at Ava's phone.
"Don't worry The rival companies attacking the Vale Family projects?"
He smiled.
"I'm the major shareholder."
Silence.
"The bank they're borrowing money from?"
Luis raised another finger
"Also me."
Another finger.
"The company that stands to benefit the most if those projects fail?"
He leaned back.
"Me again."
A pause.
"Oh, and one of the Quinn Family branches I'm managing."
The silence became heavier.
Luis shrugged.
"So if you think about it from my perspective... It's still a family matter."
Nobody spoke.
Luis continued casually.
"I have Rose Enterprise And I control one of the Quinn Family branches No outsider is touching your family."
He smiled lazily.
"Except me, obviously."
The entire garden froze.
Even the birds seemed quieter.
Everyone stared at him.
Really stared.
Rose Enterprise.
The company that had shaken the entire nation's financial market.
The company that allowed people to buy and sell shares from countless corporations through one platform.
The company that held stakes in elite families, prestigious families, gray families, upper-class businesses, and countless corporations.
The company every major businessman wanted access to.
And the owner was...
A seventeen-year-old boy.
Frank looked like he wanted to vomit blood.
Sophia's expression became complicated.
Winter frowned.
Even Damien looked surprised.
Only Ava looked completely unsurprised.
"Oh right."
She suddenly remembered something and began scrolling through her phone.
"I have a cooperation proposal to send you."
Luis immediately sat up straighter.
His lazy expression disappeared.
"What cooperation?"
He narrowed his eyes.
"I'm charging you extra this time."
Ava almost threw her phone at him.
"Bitch I'm the reason you even opened that damn Rose Enterprise."
She pointed at herself.
"Did you forget I own thirty percent? And your precious enterprise is still cooperating with my loan company You ungrateful bastard."
Luis nodded thoughtfully.
"Exactly Which is why I'm asking you to give a generous fifty percent discount so I can buy the share from your hand Sister."
Ava stared at him.
"You call that generous? I call that robbery."
Luis look at her unimpressed"you are the one who told me benefiting from family members is the only good use for them so why can't I benefit from you ".
Meanwhile, everyone else could only watch.
The two siblings continued discussing billion-CU-dollar businesses like they were arguing over lunch money.
They completely ignored everyone around them.
As if the rest of the garden didn't exist.
"Big Brother Luis~"
A sweet voice suddenly interrupted.
One of Heaven's nieces blinked her eyes cutely at him.
Luis looked at her.
Then looked away.
"Girl You're two years older than me Fuck off."
The smile on her face cracked.
Ava burst out laughing.
Maria nearly fell off her chair.
Even Vickey had to cover his mouth.
Luis stood up and stretched lazily.
"I won't be staying for breakfast."
Everyone looked at him.
Luis grabbed his drink.
"I have a girl waiting for me."
"And unlike some people, I actually need to study."
He started walking away.
Then waved without turning back.
"See ya."
As he left, the entire garden remained silent for several seconds.
Inside the first hall, Grandpa Quinn's disciple Jude sat with his wife Heaven. Between them sat their five-year-old daughter, Talia, happily swinging her little legs while listening to the adults discuss topics she couldn't understand.
The adults were talking about currency differences between nations and how fluctuations affected businesses and investments.
Meanwhile, Nathan had stepped into the hallway to answer a phone call.
As soon as he ended the call and lowered his phone, he heard someone calling his name.
"Nathan."
He turned around.
A woman stood at the other end of the hallway.
Rose.
Grandpa Quinn's second disciple.
She smiled softly as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and blinked at him.
Nathan merely nodded.
"Hmm."
A simple greeting.
Then he turned around and started walking back toward the hall.
Rose hurriedly reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Brother Nathan."
Her voice carried a hint of grievance.
"You're becoming so distant It's been such a long time since we met."
She sighed dramatically.
"Well... except for last month in Norelle Nation."
"If it wasn't for your help with the resort project, I definitely wouldn't have secured support from the higher-ups so quickly."
Nathan listened quietly.
Then nodded.
"I was helping a family friend No big deal."
He calmly removed her hand from his arm.
Rose's smile stiffened for a second.
Then she lowered her head slightly.
"I forgot Sister Emily is the jealous type."
She sighed.
"If she saw me holding your hand, she definitely wouldn't go easy on you."
Her tone sounded sympathetic.
"Brother Nathan, it must be exhausting."
"I'm not saying Sister Emily is bad..."
She quickly added.
"But she's always so jealous So possessive it's like she doesn't trust you She always follows you around A man like you needs room to breathe."
Her voice softened.
"If you ever need someone to talk to..."
"I'm always here for you."
On the surface, she sounded like a caring friend
.
But every sentence quietly planted doubt.
A subtle attempt to drive a wedge between husband and wife.
Nathan stared at her.
Then nodded thoughtfully.
"I see."
Rose's eyes brightened slightly.
Then Nathan continued.
"But who told me to like them jealous, crazy, and clingy?"
Rose froze.
Nathan dusted off his sleeve casually.
"I enjoy it."
Then he walked away.
Without looking back.
Without giving her another glance.
Leaving Rose standing alone in the hallway.
Her smile vanished instantly.
Her nails dug into her palm.
Who wouldn't like Nathan?
At only thirty-nine years old, he looked almost exactly the same as he had at twenty.
As if time had forgotten him.
Handsome.
Mature.
Funny.
Reliable.
Cold when necessary.
Warm when he wanted to be.
He was everything at once.
And he was also powerful have his own enterprise that rival his own family had different properties in his name and also able to control different main branches and Industries of the Quinn family.
The perfect man.
The only problem...Everything belonged to Emily.
Rose clenched her fists harder.
Then slowly took a deep breath.
By the time she entered the first hall, her beautiful smile had already returned.
As if nothing had happened.
The room was enormous.
Warm. Comfortable. Yet undeniably imposing.
A massive fireplace stretched along one side of the hall, its gentle flames adding warmth to the luxurious atmosphere.
Soft cream, gold, and dark wood tones dominated the interior, creating a balance between elegance and comfort.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a golden glow across the room.
More than twenty large couches had been arranged in a wide circular formation.
Each couch was large enough to comfortably seat over ten people.
Between every seating area stood a different style of table.
Some were crafted from transparent glass, with holographic decorations floating beneath the surface.
Others were carved from ancient dark wood covered in intricate patterns.
A few looked sleek and futuristic.
Others resembled priceless antiques displayed in museums.
Every single piece looked expensive enough to purchase a mansion.
At the center sat the rulers of the Quinn Family.
Grandpa Quinn and Madam Quinn occupied the first and most prestigious couch.
To their left sat Diego and his wife, Faith.
To their right sat Nathan and his wife, Emily.
The couch beside Diego belonged to Thomas and his wife, Evenly.
The couch beside Nathan was occupied by Vera alone. Her husband, Peter, had already left to deal with the disaster consuming the Vale Family.
The sixth couch, positioned beside Thomas, belonged to Jude and his wife, Heaven, with their young daughter Talia sitting between them.
When Rose entered the hall, the atmosphere shifted slightly.
Evenly's smile instantly cooled.
She shot her husband a side glance.
Faith's smile brightened, but her eyes remained perfectly neutral.
Neither woman liked Rose.
She was too good at acting innocent.
Too good at playing the saint while subtly flirting with married men.
Fortunately, her attention seemed permanently fixed on Nathan.
The two women exchanged a glance before looking toward Emily.
Emily, meanwhile, remained completely unbothered.
She was casually scrolling through videos on her phone.
Nathan sat beside her.
Very close.
One of Emily's legs rested comfortably across his lap while Nathan absentmindedly massaged her calf without even looking away from the conversation around him.
Rose felt her smile stiffen.
"Ah, you're here."
Grandpa Quinn glanced up from his tea.
"Take a seat."
"Thank you, Master."
Rose smiled politely before taking her place.
Her eyes unconsciously drifted toward Emily.
If Nathan looked twenty despite being thirty-nine...
Then Emily looked even more ridiculous and she was a year younger than Nathan.
The woman appeared younger every year.
She looked less like someone approaching 39 and more like a teenager.
Rose nearly gritted her teeth.
She was twenty-eight.
Yet somehow Emily looked younger than her.
How unfair was that?
Meanwhile, Emily continued watching videos on her phone, completely unaware—or completely unconcerned—about the glare being directed at her.
Nathan noticed it, however.
His eyes briefly met Rose's.
Then he casually pulled Emily closer.
Emily looked up.
"What?"
Nathan smiled lazily.
"Nothing."
Then he continued massaging her leg.
Rose almost crushed the teacup in her hand.
"Sister Emily is so lucky."
Rose sighed softly, a dreamy smile appearing on her face.
"To have a husband as sweet as Brother Nathan."
She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Honestly, I want a husband like him."
Her eyes curved as she laughed lightly.
"We only spent one week together in Norelle Nation, yet I already felt like a newlywed."
"Brother Nathan took such good care of me."
The hall instantly became quiet.
Evenly raised an eyebrow.
Faith slowly put down her teacup.
Nathan didn't even bother reacting.
Meanwhile, Rose continued smiling innocently as if she hadn't just dropped a bomb into the room.
"Oh?"
Heaven giggled.
Her tone sounded harmless.
"Brother Nathan and Rose stayed together in another nation? Not even another city or country in Elysia, but an entirely different continent?"
The way she phrased it sounded
suspiciously intimate.
Rose immediately laughed.
"Oh no, that's not what I meant It was only in the capital country of Norelle Brother Nathan was handling a resort project."
"He allowed me to stay there and give some opinions He also helped me with my own project."Rose covered her mouth as she chuckled."A lot of people who saw us together even thought we were a couple."
Her explanation sounded innocent.
But every sentence was carefully chosen.
She made it clear they were there for business.
Yet she also emphasized how much time they spent together.
How much attention Nathan gave her.
How people mistook them for a couple.
If Emily reacted badly...
She would look insecure.
If she didn't react...
Rose would still achieve her goal.
The room fell silent.
Everyone turned toward Emily
.
Including Rose.
Nathan glanced at his wife too.
Emily didn't even lift her head.
She continued scrolling through videos on her phone.
Then she casually replied.
"Of course Nathan would help."
Everyone paused.
Emily finally looked up.
"He has always enjoyed doing charity."
The room became even quieter.
Emily tilted her head.
"He helps homeless people He helps beggars He helps stray animals."
She smiled sweetly.
"So he just helped you cause you aren't different from them in anyway right ?"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Evenly immediately covered her mouth.
Her shoulders started shaking.
She was trying so hard not to laugh.
Diego lowered his head and rubbed his forehead.
Faith nearly choked on her tea.
Even Grandpa Quinn coughed into his fist.
As for Rose...
Her smile froze completely.
Emily had destroyed her attack with a single sentence.
Not only did she refuse to get jealous...
She had directly compared Rose to a
homeless person and a beggar and a stray animal
In other words...
The special treatment Rose was bragging about?
There was absolutely nothing special about her.
Even random strangers received it and she can't complain about it or it would seem she is up to something.
Faith couldn't help it anymore.
A small snort escaped.
Evenly burst out laughing immediately after.
Rose's face turned red.
Nathan finally looked away from Emily's phone and spoke.
"See?"
He nodded seriously.
"My wife understands me."
Then he wrapped an arm around Emily's waist.
"I do enjoy charity."
"Aren't you being a little extreme?"
Thomas frowned as he looked at Emily.
Emily looked up from her phone.
"Extreme?"
She blinked.
"I'm being extreme for praising my husband for helping people?"
Thomas immediately felt something was wrong.
Before he could answer, Nathan casually joined in.
"Thomas likes helping people too."
Nathan nodded thoughtfully.
"Especially delicate women."
A pause.
"He gets a stronger sense of masculine pride from helping them."
The hall instantly became quiet.
Thomas nearly choked.
Nathan wasn't finished.
"That's how he married Evenly Who knows?"He glanced at Rose "We might be welcoming a second sister-in-law soon Rose, you should try my brother's hospitality."
Nathan smiled lazily.
"You seem to develop marriage potential toward any man who helps you Thomas is much better than me in that aspect."
The moment those words fell
Thomas's face turned black.
Rose's smile froze.
Evenly slowly lowered her teacup.
Dangerously slowly.
"I support Nathan."
Vera suddenly joined the conversation.
Everyone turned toward her.
"Thomas is indeed very kind He always helps other women He seems to have more concern for outsiders than for his own wife and her family."
Vera crossed her legs.
"Especially when it comes to Rose He supports her Helps her Looks after her if you don't believe me go check the project your family were hoping for evenly Thomas rather give it to rise brother who knows nothing about business."
The more Vera spoke, the worse Thomas's expression became.
Diego immediately added fuel to the fire.
"Didn't Thomas accompany Rose to that charity gala last year?"
He looked genuinely curious.
"While Evenly was visiting her parents?"
"Oh right."
Faith snapped her fingers."I remember that after they argued he went out without another woman not like the first time he brings different women to gala just rise us special."
Evenly's smile became brighter.
Which somehow made it even more terrifying.
Thomas almost vomited blood.
Vera sighed dramatically.
"Never trust husbands."
She shook her head.
"Take it from me."
Everyone immediately looked toward her.
"I didn't even know my husband sold our daughter's shares."She smiled bitterly.
"So how can any woman be sure her husband doesn't have another child somewhere?"
"Or perhaps a woman he's secretly promised to marry?"Her gaze landed directly on Rose.
Rose almost choked.
The attack had arrived.
Fast.
Brutal.
And completely unexpected.
One second she had been trying to provoke Emily.
The next second...
She had somehow become the main target.
What Rose didn't understand was that this wasn't unusual.
The Quinn siblings attacked each other whenever the opportunity appeared.
Diego was still angry because some of his plans involving his children had failed due to his siblings.
Vera had just lost a portion of her influence because of Peter's stupidity and Luis then her siblings.
Nathan and Emily were practically impossible to attack.
Those two always fought together.
So whenever someone threw a stone at Nathan...
The stone usually bounced back and hit someone else.
Today...
That unfortunate someone happened to be Thomas.
And Rose.
Evenly leaned comfortably against the couch.
Then smiled sweetly.
"Rose."
Rose stiffened.
"Since everyone thinks Thomas is so caring...Would you like me to personally introduce him to you?"
The entire hall exploded with laughter.
Even Grandpa Quinn nearly laughed into his teacup.
Rose wished the floor would open and swallow her whole.